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Inspiration: I’ve mentioned before that Brandon went to Brazil a few years back and that he introduced me to some new foods when he came back. Hearts of palm are one of those foods that he first tried at a Brazilian BBQ. For Brandon, they’ll always remind him of that meal, and for me, they will forever be linked to the romantic images of Brazil that live in my head. 85 degrees with glorious sunshine every day, perfect meals on the beach every night, drinking pina coladas in bathing suits all day long. That’s what it’s like, right? And because Brandon also introduced me to the caipirinha after returning from Brazil, in my eyes it’s practically a crime not to serve up a delicious caipirinha when you’re eating hearts of palm. They make a perfect pairing!

What We Loved: This salad is summer in a bowl. If you haven’t had hearts of palm before, they’re very tart and tangy, with a surprising creamy texture. Looking at them, you’d think that they might be crunchy or maybe have that vegetable crispness of something like a cucumber, but they’re actually very soft and creamy. Combined with their extremely tangy flavor, they’re really a unique food that is unlike anything else that I’ve had. And I think that this salad works so well because the other ingredients have similar components. There’s more tang from the lime, and the avocado chunks add some extra creaminess. With a hit of salt, some fresh cilantro, and a nice drizzle of rich olive oil, this salad is so bright/fresh and rich/indulgent all at the same time.

I have never tried Hearts of Palm before. I have been wanting to give them a go. In fact, this weekend I was in the grocery store looking at Hearts of Palm, and saying, “I really want to try this, but I don’t know how to eat it! Thank you for the description of that it taste like and this salad sounds fabulous. So simple! That’s my kind of salad! I might have to make this tonight! Thanks!

I made this last night as a side dish for some red snapper. My boyfriend and I both really liked this a whole lot. And what I like even more is that it only took a few minutes to prepare. Thanks for sharing!